Mafia: The Old Country takes players back to the formative era of the Mafia itself, setting up a moody and engaging story-driven adventure in the Sicilian countryside. Developer Hangar 13 has successfully returned to the format of the original Mafia series, offering a linear and tightly scripted narrative that immerses players in the world.
The game follows Enzo Favara, a young Sicilian who escapes his life in slavery to work for the Torrisi family, a local adversary of the ruthless Spadaro crime family. The story hits familiar beats, but with strong writing and voice performances, particularly from Johnny Santiago’s portrayal of Don Torrisi.
The gameplay is standard cover shooter fare, with an added Western flavor due to the era-specific arsenal and horseback shootouts. However, some minor issues arise with the stealth system, which can feel like a tacked-on feature in certain areas. The knife fights, however, are bespoke and flashy, if sometimes feeling low-stakes.
The game’s attention to detail is impressive, particularly in its recreation of 120-year-old cars, which adds richness to driving experiences around the map. A memorable race mission also highlights the developer’s efforts.
One notable shift from previous Mafia games is the transition to Unreal Engine 5, which has resulted in fewer minor bugs and a more robust experience on PC. The game’s atmosphere captures that of Rockstar’s Westerns, particularly with its use of sound effects to bring the era to life.
Overall, Mafia: The Old Country is a familiar yet engaging mob drama that will likely appeal to fans of the series, despite some minor issues in certain areas.
Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/mafia-the-old-country-review